Wednesday, June 21, 2006

My three children finished school today. They completed grade 5, grade 3 and SK.

"Yashar, yashar, kadimah."

Their report cards were glowing, and they each had wonderful relationships with their teachers and classmates. All in all, a positive year for them.

Yes, I truly didn't want to be working full-time anymore, but no, I didn't want to leave under the circumstances that I did. But I will say this much: I am thankful that I had 2 1/2 months with my children while at home.

What a difference it made...being able to take them to school and pick them up from school. Being there when they woke up in the morning, and being there to give them an after-school snack.

I felt a connection to the children, I felt a connection to the school. It was a good feeling.

(I also noticed just how many live-in nannies help run the households of the school's population, and just how many minivans and SUVS and extended-cab trucks help chauffeur the kids in these households!)

I'm not sure what I'll be doing in September, once they're back in school, but I hope that my children will continue to get to see my front side and not just my backside as they've had for all these years, as I was part of a full-time workforce.

The schoolyard, I've noticed, is just like life. There are fun things, there are dangerous things, there are friends to make, there are bullies to avoid. My children are primarily laughing, I've noticed, while in the schoolyard. They are busy with sports and acrobatic tricks on the jungle gym, they are interacting with all ages and plainly just having a good time amongst the crowd. Witnessing all this makes for my own romance. Who needs to read these books when you can live out your own love for your husband and children!

The phone rang this afternoon. It was a long-distance ring and I number I didn't recognize.

"May I please speak to Pearl?""Pardon me?""May I please speak to Pearl?""Speaking.""Hi, Pearl. This is Ezzie Goldish.""I'm sorry, who?""Ezzie Goldish."So, so much for first impressions, huh?

Let me explain...I'd walked into the house not ten minutes earlier so my head wasn't quite there yet; I didn't recognize the phone number or voice; because Ezzie was on a cell phone, his voice was breaking up from time to time, so I didn't hear him clearly; I thought if I was going to hear from Ezzie, it would be tomorrow. So I WAS COMPLETELY THROWN OFF!

I knew Ezzie was coming to a wedding in Toronto, knew it was this evening, but assumed we'd speak tomorrow. What a nice surprise to hear from him!

The irony was that just after 2 p.m. or so, I left my parents' house, where I'd taken my daughter for a lunch visit, and headed northward home.

Sometime closer to 2:30, Ezzie arrived at the home he'd be staying in overnight for the wedding. I happen to know that family, know where they live...about a three minute drive south of my parents.

Ezzie was going to be leaving the house around 5:30 to go to the wedding at a social hall in the north end of the city. That social hall is a 3 minute drive north of where my husband works.

Unfortunately, there was no way we would be able to meet this evening...unless I'd become a Jewish wedding crasher. Listen, anyone can dress up in the right clothes, put on the right jewelery and accessories and walk right in to the chupah or kabbalat panim and mingle with the rest of the guests.

I joked with Ezzie that if I'd crash the wedding, I'd have to be like a limo/car service driver and hold up a sign saying "MR. GOLDISH."

We're not sure we will get a chance to meet tomorrow, as he's somewhat south and I'm somewhat north, but even if we don't, at least we had a chance to have a nice (according to me; for Ezzie maybe it's a different story altogether!) conversation that ran for about 45 minutes.

I teased Ezzie and said that he could be my son 'cause I'm 44 going on 45. He thought that for some reason, I along with several other bloggers, am about 37. DO I HEAR 36 or 35? Going, going...yup, GONE!

I'm a fairly good judge of character, and from Ezzie's blog, and from our conversation and a few emails, I sense that Ezzie is a good hubby, a great daddy, and and all-round nice guy who makes a good friend.

If we do get to meet, I'll add to this post. And if we don't meet, I'll say that it was really nice of Ezzie to call, good that he managed to catch me, and here's hoping that this TO-RON-O Pearl one day meets up with this fine young blogger!

****

Okay, well, Ezzie and I did get to meet briefly after all. I was going to my parents this morning with the kids for a late breakfast, and while there, called the family where he was staying. Yup, he was still there for a short while, so I said I'd be right over to say hi and bring a little something for Elianna. (a kids' book, which my kids also have, and one I love giving as a gift -- it's called BABY LOVES)Max the dog and the three kids chose to join me, and we headed over and found Ezzie packing up the car.I can say: he does look like his photos, and he's pretty tall at 6 ft, so I had to look up at him when we talked. We just shmoozed briefly about the wedding he'd attended and some of his friends.I hoped he wasn't embarrassed by the fact that I'm a married woman who's twice his age and I came around for a brief chat. Blogging isn't so familiar to everyone and certainly meeting other bloggers/strangers isn't either!But now I can say I spoke to Ezzie and I met Ezzie; and he can add me to his list of bloggers whom he's met and tell people that even though I'm Canadian I sound American...as he also pointed out.

I look at my daughter, with her long legs and skinny-minnie waist and think, "That was me many years ago."

What can I say? I discovered I like to eat, I like to nosh. I guess I got comfortable once I got married.

Okay, I also did give birth to three kids in less than five years, so there was still plenty of baby fat jiggling around. I guess jiggling around enough for idiotic, rude people to ask, "Are you pregnant?" or "Are you expecting?"

Well, I had to learn to come up with quick comebacks for these unwelcome comments: For "Are you pregnant?" I learned to answer, "No, this is just baby fat...from the last baby!" And for "Are you expecting?" I learned to answer, "No...but I was expecting you to ask that!"

My size is not ideal, but thank G-d I'm still tall, because otherwise I might be called, "short and fat". Right now I'm just tall and a little overweight.

Yes, I can do something about it...and sometimes I do. I watch what I eat, I exercise more, I don't just eat for the sake of eating. But I should do these things more often, shouldn't I?

I went to my doctor today for a follow-up from my annual physical that I had a couple of weeks back. I'd been fearful of the results, knowing that my family's medical history has begun to change, and that diabetes, hypertension have been written onto the medical charts of other family members. I did not want those showing up on mine.

Thank G-d they didn't, and I had great feedback. I asked my doctor to look back at my weight over the years I'd been with him. Yes, I'd had some pre- and post-pregnancy weights in there, so there was real fluctuation over the years, but realistically I know I'd feel better if I were slimmer again. I wouldn't have lower back pain as I do more and more lately; I'd have more energy to deal with my kids; I'd have a more positive self-image; shopping wouldn't be such a horror movie. (every time I go into a change room, I look in the mirror and do a silent scream when things don't fit.)

After I went to the doctor I went shopping, primarily for items for my kids, but came across a couple of items for me -- one a skirt, the other a sweater. The interesting thing about the skirt is that I bought one that is too snug, and at least one size too small for me. But it was the last of its kind, I liked it so much and the price was more than right. I bought the skirt with the hope that perhaps with watching what and how I eat, and exercising more, I WILL be able to fit into it, perhaps by the end of summer.

The sweater was a definite, and cozy fit.

When I came home I modeled both the skirt and sweater for my family. My youngest son had run upstairs to watch TV, my oldest son was eating dinner and not really interested, so that left my husband and daughter for whom to model.

My husband wished me luck in fitting into the skirt, as is my goal. My daughter announced it was cute, and her stylish eight-year-old self told me how I need to wear the accompanying scarf belt with the knot to the side, rather than the middle.

I then modeled the sweater on top of the skirt, and it was a nice, and classic combo.

Daughter piped up, "Mummy, you look skinny!"

Two seconds later, youngest son comes running down the stairs, TV remote control in hand. Now you have to understand that this child usually does not hear me when he's watching TV and I speak to him, even while standing beside him. I can repeat myself several times and he's oblivious to my presence. But THIS he heard, and came running to check for himself.

"Ema's skinny? Yeah, you ARE skinny....you can do magic!"

Okay, so, kid, if I can do magic, here's my mantra:

"Abra-cadabra, KalamazooLet these pounds disappearFrom me to you.Let me slip into somethingA little bit smallerPlease make it fitAnd make me look taller.If I lose twenty poundsTo Las Vegas I go'Tis my rewardI want you to knowIf I lose twenty moreAlong with my tushie and hipsI'll visit Vegas againTo see Gladys Knight & the PipsI'll revisit my clothesThat were kept stored awayAnd I hope a size 12Will then fit me each day.Now that's not a tiny sizeBut such is not my styleAnd size 12 is pretty ideal for meI haven't been it in a while.My size 12's haven't gone out of styleThey are a classic fit and cutFor anyone who's skinnyAnd doesn't have a butt or gut.I hope to report That many pounds will disappearAnd after a whileIt will be made quite clear.It's mind over matterThat begins the weight lossShow your food and drinkThat you're the bossYou make the decisionsYou choose what you eatAnd once in a whileYou can have a small treat.Yes, I'm a magicianMy son is quite rightThose pounds will disappearAnd I'll again be skinny and slight!"